Court urged to declare CPP-NPA terror group

THE Manila regional trial court has been formally asked to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), together with its armed wing the New Peoples’ Army, (NPA), a terrorist organization.

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong filed the petition for proscription which he said is one of the requirements under Republic Act 9372 or the Human Security Act of 2007 before a group can be declared a terror group.

Ong said the CPP-NPA are just buying time by deceiving the government in entering into peace talks while their main purpose is to mobilize their forces in preparation for a “people’s war” to overthrow the duly-constituted authorities, seizing control of the government and imposing a totalitarian regime.

Ong said the CPP-NPA also committed acts of terrorism such as murder, kidnapping, arson and other activities for purpose of sowing terror and public panic.

“Thus, there is no other time to put an end their deception, to their protracted people’s war and to their evil plan of imposing a totalitarian regime, but through the filing of this petition and, consequently, by declaring respondents CPP-NPA as terrorist and outlawed organizations, associations and or group of persons,’ part of the petition said.

Ong said in 2017 alone, there were 12 incidents, including ambushes conducted by the NPA targeting soldiers and policemen in various parts of the country.

“Included here is the ambush of four policemen and members of the Scene of the Crime Operatives in Bansalan, Davao del Sur last March 2017 and a team of Army personnel conducting humanitarian operations in Catubig, Northern Samar,’’ Ong said.